50th Anniversary of Massacre of Palestinians— Survivor to Speak in DC

For Immediate Release
For More Information Contact:
Daniel McGowan, 315-781-3418 until 10:00 AM, April 7
Georgetown Holiday Inn, 202-338-4600 through April 9 noon

Vigils are planned in Los Angeles and Sacramento, and conferences in Washington, DC and Jerusalem, to remember those who were massacred 50 years ago.

April 9-10, 1948 the village of Deir Yassin near Jerusalem was attacked by Jewish nationalist militias, Irgun and Lehi (also known as The Stern Gang). During this attack over 100 men, women and children were killed
according to the New York Times April 13, 1948. This massacre is often cited as sparking the panic that led to over 750,000 Palestinians being driven from their homes. Over one million Palestinians live in refugee camps today. During his visit to Israel in March of this year British Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, laid a wreath in honor of those massacred at Deir Yassin.

Washington, DC - April 7, Tuesday: 4 PM at Gaston Hall in the Healy Building, Georgetown University, 37th and O St. Daniel McGowan, Director of Deir Yassin Remembered, will speak on the significance of the Deir Yassin massacre in 20th century Palestinian history and its role in the current peace process. He will be available in DC for interviews through April 9. Mr. Assad, a survivor who was 15 years old at the time of the massacre and
lost over 30 members of his extended family, will give personal testimony. He now lives in the United States. Contact: Daniel McGowan, 315-781-3418, E-mail: [email protected]

Los Angeles, CA - April 9, Thursday: Vigil from 11 AM to 1 PM in front of Museum of Tolerance, 8786 West Pico Boulevard. This Holocaust museum was established by the Simon Wiesenthal Center. There will be presentations by
prominent Jewish and Arab Americans who lived in Israel and came from some of the 418 Palestinian villages and towns destroyed in the 1948 war. Photographs of 15 destroyed villages will be displayed.
Contact: Don Bustany (213) 663-2112, Michel Shehadeh (714) 636-1232

Sacramento, CA - April 9, Thursday: Noon rally at University of California Davis quad in front of the Student Union Memorial building. Co-sponsored by the Arab Student Organization, Arab American Club of Davis. They will read a list of 418 Palestinian villages that were demolished in the 1948 war. This event will kick off a month-long series of events remembering "Al-Nakba, The Catastrophe - 50 Years of Palestinian Dispossession." Contact: Fuad Nijim 530-757-7191

Jerusalem, April 14, Tuesday: 10 AM, Deir Yassin Remembered conference at Al Quds University, Hind Al-Hussaini Hall. Speakers include Lea Tsemel, a
prominent Jewish lawyer, Hashem Mahameed, member of the Knesset of Israel and two survivors of Deir Yassin who will give eyewitness testimony. Following the conference will be a march to lay flowers at the site of the Deir Yassin massacre. Contact: Nigel Parry, +972-2-998-2075, E-mail:
[email protected]